Return of the Emblem Chapter Ten: Converging Destinies

[Ether]

Arriving back to the tower with Robin, Faatina gave a relieved sigh, as the others had not yet departed.

"Well, looks like we made it back in time." Faatina noted, her eyes hovering towards Zach and Marella, wondering just how Robin would handle the situation.

[-Cynthia-]

Veronika

"I'm glad somebody gets the importance of this mission at least. With any luck we'll be on the road shortly- Gar can't be that hard to find," Veronika said to Chelsea. Unless he took the opportunity to slip away to act as an informant on us...ugh this is no time to be paranoid.

Connor

"Sure, once we're on the road I can describe some of the projects I'm currently working on- mostly transmutation research currently. There's a lot going on at Weyland Enterprises as well- once we're in Europa I'll ask Uncle if I can show you some of our more confidential research," he said to Tia.

[Mercakete]

... That sounds like walki-- "Oh no you don't!" Norbert called out when he turned and noticed the wyvern walking right back to where he'd be in the way. The pegasus rider grabbed onto Ringo's reigns and began pulling, trying to keep the wyvern in place, or at least slow him down. It probably wasn't going to work, though, since wyverns are stronger than humans. Norbert was still making a real effort to keep him in place, though.

[Phoenix]

Store

It didn't take Suzume long to change, and like she expected, she was finished before either Gabbie or the shopkeeper ever returned. She came out into plain view wearing the red outfit and a smile. "It fits," she gave an excited review.

Meanwhile in the back, the shopkeeper knocked on the changing room door. "Excuse me? I think someone else needs the changing room now? Are you done trying the outfit on yet?"

"What koind of clothing store only has one changing room?" came Gabbie's voice from behind the door.

"It's a long story. Look it's just a coat, I know it couldn't be taking you that long to try it on ..." She slowly cracked open the door to peek inside as she spoke. She saw Gabbie standing with her back turned wearing the coat and ... almost nothing else. Her hair was also untied and covering her upper back and shoulders. She had her leg up on a chair doing a pose in front of the mirror. The shopkeeper blushed. "Oh ..."

"Heheheh, I'llll take it," Gabbie decided.

"That'll be ... twenty-four ... gold, Miss, heheh."

"Okay, give me a couple of minutes and I'll be roight out."

"... right." The woman shut the door and put her back to it, staring off at nothing for a moment. "Goodness ... that figure ..." She shook it off and went back out front. "She'll just be another couple of minutes. Oh, you've already changed ... wait, out here?!"

"Yeah, sorry. I got a little impatient and there wasn't anyone else around so ..."

Outside Store

What did the feeder want now? He was out of food and had no reason to be pestering him. Ringo tugged a bit resisting at first, but once it was clear the defective feeder wouldn't let up, he turned to face him and waited for some sign of what he wanted.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Phoenix

[Mercakete]

Good. He stopped. Norbert kept a hold on the reigns because that worked so well last time just in case but otherwise was able to relax with his hands on his hips as the wyvern turned to face him. "Alright, so you can lie down and rest here," he decided to inform Gabbie's mount, "but you can't block the way to that store. I don't need you getting in people's way and giving people a reason to get us into trouble."

[Script]

A Man Called Gar

Gar had the faintest regret that something amazing passed him by. And something incredibly painful too. Which was probably a net gain. Well, maybe not, pain was temporary, memories were eternal. What was he thinking about again? Well anyway, spear-chick was still taking so long that Zussy R was now back from changing in less fancy quarters. Blushing store-girl was now all surprised. "It's a wonder of the world," Gar randomly said. "Anyway, I think that about wraps up what we can do for here now." Gar shrugged.

[Phoenix]

Store

"S-sorry, I just saw the woman in nothing but stockings and that coat; I'm a little flustered. That's what I get for peeking, I suppose, heheheh." What an unconvincing laugh that was .... Suzume handed her the damaged tunic. "Alright then, it should be finished in an hour or so. Check back then, okay?"

"Okay, and thank you again," Suzume said with a slight bow.

Outside Store

The feeder didn't seem to want anything. Oookay then. Ringo began turning to head back toward the store again.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Phoenix

[Snowy_One]

"Transmutation? That sounds wonderful. I tried to learn a bit of it while I was on the road but I couldn't find a proper text that properly allowed me to compensate for the sudden material shifts and the like. If you have some experience and can help me learn, that would be wonderful. I specialize mainly in water, but I am capable of casting basic spells of the other elements given the time to focus myself, so I should be able to keep up with you if you'd be willing."

---

"Good. I would consider talking to Zach soon, but I think he may need some time and, I think, if this ends in another fight right now, Raquel will have both our heads. I will wait for now."

[Script]

A Man Called Gar

The way this woman's acting almost makes me think her daughter's adopted, Gar amused himself in thought. "Well, this as certainly been a fun outing," Gar commented for the shop-lady before they left the store. Once outside he asked. "Anything else you want to do before we head our separate ways?"

[Phoenix]

Store

Gabbie returned from the changing room, first noting that Gar and his date had left the building, and then walking up to the shopkeeper woman with the coat under her arm. She hadn't bothered to tie her hair back just yet. "I left the money on the seat in the changing room~"

"Oh! Wait here while I count it up ..." the woman slowly began to head back toward the changing room, keeping an eye on Gabbie as she did so. "Just wait right there, please." Ugh, where is Jamie when I need her? I always get the weird onesss! She desperately didn't want to be had, but for some reason it never occurred to her to just tell Gabbie to go back and put the money on the counter. Fortunately for her, Gabbie wasn't the shortchanging type, not today at least.

"Heheh ... yeah, I've got places to be. Catch ya later," she said, though the woman was already back near the changing room and out of earshot.

Outside Store

Gabbie? No, just that one male human and that one female human. Ringo gave a wyvern sigh and then turned back to face the strange feeder human, waiting to see what he wanted.

"Well ... there was ... one very important thing I wanted to do before you left. I wanted to thank you again. Not just for paying for everything, but for being so funny and persistent back on that ship. I'd still be brooding right now if not for you. Instead of feeling like some lonely foreigner in a strange new country, I feel ... well, I don't know, I just feel a lot better about all of this now, and that's because of you." Okay, three ... two ... Suzume began leaning toward Gar, trying to get close enough to kiss him on the cheek. She wasn't nervous, but wasn't sure what she was doing either. She didn't go around kissing people, so this was new.

[Script]

A Man Called Gar

Gar smiled as he saw what Suzzy Q was trying to do, he leaned in and allowed her to complete his kiss on his cheek. And then he threw his right arm around her and placed his hand on the back of her head. "Life's for living, after all, so you're welcome," and so he kissed her on the top of her forehead. "Until we meet again," he said before releasing her.

[Mercakete]

The wyvern began heading back towards the store and Norbert was about to tug on the reigns again, but then Ringo stopped. Well, that saves me some trouble. In fact, Gabbie's wyvern turned back around to face him again. Something past the wyvern caught Norbert's eye, though: something that quite frankly, surprised and alarmed him.

Sweet Mercy she came here?! And... Uh... I...guess that's not someone she was trying to get a job from... Looks more like a date than a job interview... He was quite awkward by this point, witnessing the kissing and such and winding up just feeling like he was intruding on something personal. Though the whole time he was trying to figure out what to do, for the moment he just looked away. I don't want to make this awkward... Darn it, Gabbie, hurry up and take your wyvern back so I can look for Riz!

[Phoenix]

Outside Store

Well that went even better than she'd hoped, though she still couldn't help but blush again by the end of it. "I'll see you around Gar, so take care of yourself. If you don't find me, then I'll find you ... because I really want to do this again sometime." Oops, that almost sounds like I want to go buying stuff again. Well I wouldn't mind, it's just I meant it more as us spending time together. I don't much mind what we're doing, really.

That was when Gabbie emerged from the store. She wasn't surprised to see Gar and Suzume right there, but she was surprised to not see Ringo or Bert there. "Mmgh ... where did ..." Gabbie! Ringo began trotting back to meet her, and gods help Bert if he decided to keep holding onto the reins.

[Mercakete]

"Whoa!" Norbert hadn't been expecting Ringo to take off like that back towards the store, but it did serve a purpose: it caused his attention to snap back in that direction. Suzume and the other person seemed to not be having a private moment anymore, so that was a relief seeing as he was being pulled along in their direction some steps by a wyvern he was supposed to keep an eye on. As soon as Norbert saw Gabbie had exited the store, he let go of Ringo's reigns. She could have him back -- he was done wyvernsitting for a while.

Even so, there wasn't much of a way around it now. He followed Ringo at a slower pace, though that meant going right by Suzume and her date. He just hoped he wouldn't make the situation between those two uncomfortable by being around.

[Script]

A Man Called Gar

The nice tender goodbye was ruined by a trodding wyvern. Gar supposed he'd deserve this but it was still annoying. "Well, I'm gonna go where there aren't any wyverns," he said and began walking away, waving to Suzzy Q until she was out of sight.

And what eventually popped into sight was the tallest tower in the port. Gar went trodding up to the mostly assembled group and said out loud. "Howdy folks, how's it going?"

[Phoenix]

Outside Store

"Oh, Ringo, there you are~" Gabbie greeted her wyvern. Without the feeder weighing him down, Ringo was able to pick up the pace a bit more and meet Gabbie at the entrance. The next issue to address was Bert. "So ..." she paused to scan around a bit before continuing, "I take it your poor pegasus didn't make it?" She already knew she might be pushing a button, or several, but it was worth it.

Suzume waved farewell to Gar and then tried to decide what to do with herself for the next hour. The exchange between Gabbie and Bert was kind of distracting, but she didn't much mind. Whatever made the time go by faster.

Tower and Dauntless

"You came back on your own?" was Raquel's lousy greeting to the white haired man. "That means Bert and Gabbie are still out there searching ... urgh. This is one vicious cycle, now." Well, I guess Gabbie did say this would happen.

[Script]

A Man Called Gar

Gar quickly thought through a dozen responses to Raquel's response before deciding on the funniest. "What do you mean back? I've been here the whole time." he responded with a raised eyebrow. Not that anyone could see the eyebrow because his cloak hood was covering it. "But if I was gone I'd wager those other two were right there with me and sent me here. But that totally didn't happen." Well, one of those names was probably lance-woman, and the other one was the one she mentioned. He didn't see the second, but eh.

[Mercakete]

The look that settled on Norbert's face wasn't quite a glare but it certainly was unamused. I hope she's joking. If that wyvern actually eats pegasi, that would mean I put Riz in a lot of danger only to try to keep her from inconvenience. "No, she just spooked and bolted. I was trying to get your wyvern out of the way so people wouldn't have a legitimate reason to complain about him. He was blocking the door," he explained before adding irritably, "Now, if you're done wasting time, you should start looking for Gar again while I look for Rizen. If you don't, I guess I'm stuck looking for both on foot. If you find Gar, might as well just take him to the tower and tell Raquel to start moving. I'll catch up once I find my pegasus."

[Phoenix]

Outside Store

"That was Gar," Suzume decided to point out. How did Bert not recognize his own companion? Granted he had a hood on, but ...

"Yeah that was him. I told him where the tower was, so we only need to worry about your pegasus. Aaand since I'm in such a good mood, I'll help you look for it," Gabbie explained. "And no you don't get to search on foot. No more splitting up, you'll just have to roide with me." She didn't seem willing to budge on that one.

"Well, I should go. Goodbye," Suzume said to the two of them.

Tower and Dauntless

Raquel squinted at Gar. His response was simply confusing to her. "Wait, what? How could you have been here the entire time? We checked to see who was missing."

[Script]

A Man Called Gar

"I wouldn't be very good at my job if I was easy to find," Gar replied and crossed his arms.

[Snowy_One]

"Why don't you just put him on a leash to make sure he never gets lost again?" asked Tia, confused.

[Phoenix]

Tower and Dauntless

"I'm not sure I believe you but that's not important right now," Raquel replied, deciding it best to round up their last two missing people and get out of Sergio before the heralds of Wrath paid them a visit. Next came Tia's leash suggestion. Raquel wasn't sure if the girl was serious or not but answered seriously for the moment. "Leashes are for animals, not people."

[Script]

A Man Called Gar

"Or people with discriminating taste," Gar commented absentmindedly.

[Snowy_One]

"Well, maybe Conner and I can help you with that then? Make some sort of rune or something that will allow you to let people know you need them? Like... a hyper-sonic bell? Or something that you can just go 'hey! I need you guys back here' and people will be able to know that so you won't have to deal with wanderers anymore?"

[Mercakete]

"That was?!" it was impossible for Norbert to keep the surprise out of his voice. I really need to pay more attention to what people in this group look like... He was right under my nose and I didn't even notice... Another factor that contributed to his surprise was that Suzume and Gar apparently had some sort of chemestry going on and that was just awkward to think about. So, he shoved that fact away. Suzume sounded like she was leaving regardless, so he simply waved and farewelled, "Goodbye again."

Now there was the issue with Rizen to deal with. Gabbie was offering to help him out, which was appreciated, but there was one concern he had with that method. "Your wyvern's what spooked her in the first place. Those things eat pegasi, after all, and she knows it. If I'm going to be flying around with you, we'll have to make sure we land away from Rizen once we find her. I'll walk up to her on foot after that and meet you in the sky. That plan okay with you?"